Spring Wild Edibles

  This is the best time of the year for finding and eating wild edible plants. The fresh green shoots are up and the tender leaves are just waiting for us to devour them.

  My favorite spring plant is the Nettle. You can eat the leaves raw: Grab the leaf from the top, fold it over on itself, and roll it around between your fingers. You can savor this plant without getting stung. The Nettle leaf has most of its stingers on the underside, which makes it possible to eat without risk of pain.
  Other great wild plants to eat are Dandelion, Sorrell and Plantain. The last one is also a good treatment for minor cuts and wounds. The Plantain is easy enough to identify because the lines that run the length of the leaf are always parallel.
  It is interesting that so many wonderful and tasty plants are found in our own back garden. A lot of people work hard to eradicate these tasty options from their yard yet these plants make a wonderful wild salad.
  Remember the 1 in 20 rule: only harvest a plant if there are at least 19 other similar plants growing in the area. This keeps the plant community healthy and vibrant.